Iran Asks UN Chief To Intervene To Prevent U.S. Diversion Of Funds

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif (right) asked for UN intervention one week after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

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Iran Asks UN Chief To Intervene To Prevent U.S. Diversion Of Funds

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Iran has asked the United Nations to intervene to prevent the United States from diverting $2 billion in frozen funds to victims of terrorism under a U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif wrote to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on April 28, asking him to convince the United States to stop what he said would be a violation of state immunity.

Ban should use his "good offices" to persuade the United States to "adhere to its international obligations," Zarif said.

Zarif also asked Ban to help secure the release of Iranian assets frozen in U.S. banks, accusing the United States of "blatant disrespect for state immunity," which could have "catastrophic implications" for UN members.

"It is in fact the United States that must pay long overdue reparations to the Iranian people for its persistent hostile policies," Zarif wrote, citing such incidents as the downing of an Iranian civilian airliner in 1988.

Tehran's appeal to the UN comes one week after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry sought to assure Zarif that he is doing everything he can to help Iran benefit from the lifting of economic sanctions under its nuclear deal with world powers.